The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1887-02-13

said.
"What are you going to do this afternoon 2"
1--WE thought Of going to Weymouth for q
couple OF hours We can drive across, or catch
the 3 O'Clock train"
~ intended going also. May ] accompany
you ~ said the Captain.
~ wonder YOU didn't 90 In the FREELY, them
remarked Miss Gladys, q can't get accustomed
TO "Mrs. Mnrtyn-lIcnry,n somehow; she had
been Miss GLADYS Andcrson.)
'lf | had, there would have been nobody to
take them dry clothes" remarked the sailor
captain.
tDry clothcs What do YOU mcon' You
don't pretend 10 say there will he rain this after
noon witt, this windyn cried Capt. Mnrtyn-
Henry "Why, it's n lovely day
so II Is" acquicsccd the sailor, "bUt fine
days do not last forever; DO You see those
long white wisps Of cloud? DO YOU sec that
dark line To windwnrtl, and the bank Of clouds
in the southwcsir
Yes southwest, The wind is southeast,
Capt. Armstrong
Miss Gladys smiled us she said this; sin pity
for the Captains ignorance, | SUPPOSE said
Peter, aftcrwarl.
SI'Thc wind is In those clouds; II VIII blow
from the southwest before night and, with this
ripple aud tide, raise nice surf on the Chesil
Bank. That's about the only bank in England
on which do not care for check
"Well, We may as well drive. II Is only .
o'clock; we shall get there by :. easily" So
they went, Capt Armstrong ordered some dry
clothes for the ladies, greatly to the amusement
Of the maid who packed them in the porimnn-
tcnu.
While these preparations wcrr being made
the quiet Captain stuntcrcd on, telling the
others 10 pick him up At Farmers cottage.
Charley was at home, and old Mrs. Mortimer
had looked in at the children
~ think YOU'RE sensible young fellow, Far
mcr' said the sailor "lust put few of your
wifc's things IN carpet bag or box, nnd I'll
take them to Weymouth. The yachi Will yet
wet, expect" Charley was not so much sur
priscd, as he had been talking with Barrc', the
fisherman. But he said:
"Tll hrng them over, sir, thank you heartily"
'No, come with us. You can sit with Rob
erts, Make haste. Have you any clo,hcs-linc
h,ndyy'
"Clotlcs-lne, exclaimed Charley. "rlcnty."
"1hcn bring II. Bring all YOU have. II will
do to tic up the other bundles" Inc mut,ercd
Charlcy's preparations had scarcely been COM
plctcd when the wagonette came IN sight
"llrrc YOU are, thcn"' exclaimed Capt.
Henry; "you seem determined 10 bring luggage
enough"
'',lust change all around, was The reply.
"All rghil'
The coachmap touched his horses gently with
the whip, and of they started. The breeze was
strong, but inland thcpeoplc were sheltered. II
was different with us In the Fireiiy.
We got on very well for awhile; the breeze
was rather behind us, and sent us dlashug along
beautifully. BY degrees, however, the yacht be
gan To plunge deeper and deeper The sea got
up, and broke on board frequently. didn't
care, MS | was accustomed to salt water, and |
minded the boy.
Lady Parlock came and stood BY me ~
think Capt Armstrong was right, Mrs. Farmer"
she said. ~ heard the master tell Mr.. Hemp
bill that the wind was v.eeiing to the southwest"
At that moment Mr.. IIcmphill came up with
Mrs. Carlewe. who was glad to lie back in the
stern of the yacht aud be covered with shawls
and tarpaulins She looked wrctchcd.
~ think that it will he more prudent To run
for Weymouth at once" said Mr.. Hemphl
make the entrance. which is doubtful-wc can
get no real accommodation. Now at Wey
mouth we can, and there are the train and the
telegraph, plenty of shops, and So on"
The ladies agreed to this suggestion. and the
yacht was headed for Portland Bill. Even lady
Pardock had had enough of the sea-water he
fore sunset. The dashed In and forced
us to 20 below. The wind rose, as any one who
remembers that afternoon in September rec
ollect. II got fierce by five O'Clock and posi-
lively boisterous by six. Great waves rolled up
from the southwest. and we plunged fearfully
into the sea. We had only iib on her, and
two reefs In the mailsai were taken In.
Nevertheless we plunged ON to wintlward. for
the Captain did not dare to turn now and
"scud.' We tackled and tackled, beating ON
until the sun went down and we did not seem
to he much nearer Weymouth or Portland
Roads, for which we were aiming. From Port
So did all the sailors, extended right away to
Bridport, where the mighty Portland stones
have dwndlcd through all shapes and sizes of
pebbles to sand and gravel, and the biggest al
ways the highest up the bank.
The Captain, or sailing-master, was brave
enough. hut anxious; the crew was steady; the
gentlemen on board were serious: the ladies
very i'll and quite careless of danger. The lit
tie heir was fast asleep in my arms, aud we
heeled over and listened to the slapping and
al llshi i,r AZ fl,n f.iIn tl. .,E
water across the deck, ! prayed earnestly and
wondered whether we should ever see Cardcwc
Manor again.
II was evening and we Were past Portland
Bill. The Captain said we must 90 about and
run In on the tide To make all the lceway up.
The wind was dead on shore The waves beat
high upon the Chcsil Bank, and IL could do
some fine writing | could tell you about the
curling tops Of the masses of water which
poured on the shnglc But that was nothing
to the next days sea. That / shall never for
get.
The FREELY had been sighted and considerable
anxiety had been expressed concerning her.
Little did think that among the people who
were watching lis were Charley ami Capt.
Armstrong, in fear for the result. Charley told
me afterward that the Captain was Ms cool as
ever, and apparently afraid of getting wet; so
he hired Il cab and drove down through Wcy-
mouth To the island, leaving Mr.. and Mrs. Mar
tyn-licnry mt the hotel To receive the party If
they ran alongside the pier safely.
The evening was deepening into n clustering
and stormy night, as Charley and Capt. Arm
strong drove 10 Portland, and our Yacht was
driving on. We were still below, when the
easier motion of the yacht, consequent on our
running before the wind, induced us to 90 on
deck. Behind us was II limitlcss tumblng sea,
dark clouds and rain; in front the Chcsl Bank,
the island with It's quarrics anh It's prisoners,
and the smooth water Of the roads beyond. In
an hour or So we should I've riding alongside the
pier, or In the larbor. or pulling ashore TO catch
the train home. So we said.
But how is this? We arc not going for the
harbOr direct Yes, we arc-what Is that he
hind us pa roar, then n flash, and another roar
Blow, blow. good wind, ere the storm oyertalSe
us, or we shall fare badly. Flap! flap. The
wind has suddenly failed us. ''Wc are in the
very centre of n little cyclonc!' So said the
Captain.
"Bcar hand, men; We shall be taken aback
in u minute!" shouted the master, rushing to
the tiller. "Furl, all-up with hcr-Icavc the
jill alone, clew up the mainsail, SMART
No time to lose. Flap! Boom comes the
wind from the northwest with n rush. The
FREELY heels over like n toy; the jib strains.
"up with the helm!'' The canvas splits with n
fearful rcnding, ripping report, and the yacht
drives down upon Portland.
"Stcady, men! All hands out Of the dinghy.
Remember the women and the child. Bend the
foresail. Let her r,in!'' roared the master. The
| yacht paid of, and turning her back on the sea,
rushed down channcl-alas! into tidc-cddy,
which sucked her under the rocks of Portland
| Island ms the wind veercd again.
| The soldiers at the Verne by this time were
crowded upon the cliffs to see the ''wreck"
| Some shouted for ropes, some for rockets, but
neither were forthcoming. The yacht drove In
and IN five minutes ran between two rocks
where the wind having chopped again TO south.
west) she remained stern To sea-frelucntly
swept by the waves, and apparently with only i
few minutes TO live, We were screaming and in
the most terrible distress. Lady Parock alone
said not word. She took her child from my
arms and said
"Mrs, Farmer, try and save yourself when tn,
time comes. Jocclyn and | will die together y
"Mamma, am very hungry May ] have
some tea soon ~ whimpered Jocelyn,
| The mother kissed him passionaicly. Tear,
came into my eyes as | remembered my own
children and Charley, Was this death
| Mr.. Ilcmphil did all he could 10 cheer us
"Thcy will find rocket and we can reach those
rocks there on the beach. II is not 50 rough
here MS yondcr, We are lucky he said
Lucky! thought. Lucky 10 die In two.min
utcs or less when the yacht begins to break up
| Mr.. Cardewe and his wife Were standing
| hand In hand, pale hut firm. They lad he.I